Gun questions at Canadian border?

[ARKLITE881South]

I was told by a friend, that went into Canada with a classic car club several yrs ago. they had a ''clown'' in the group, always playing jokes, etc. They pulled up to the border and one by one were motioned through after a few questions. They get to the club clown, he's asked if he has any guns. His reply was yes, the border agent asked where they were. "Clown" answers , ''at home in my safe". border agent says, Sir please pull over in the yellow box. They then proceeded to check every item in his car, clothing, suitcases, every thing, every place. Which took a long time, and, then HE had to put it all back. Needless to say, he was pretty quiet the rest of the trip.

 

[JedB]

I got a strange one going to Whistler as well with my buddy in the car.

Me: Hello.
Officer: Hello, where are you going?
Me: Whistler for 5 days.
Officer: What will you be doing there?
Me: Snowboarding and skiing.
Officer: Will you be entering any tournaments?
Me: No, not that I know of.
(aside: this was the year after the Winter Olympics in Canada, and I think they were asking so they could tax my winnings.. LOL)
Officer: Ok. What about you? (motioning to my buddy)
Him: No, no tournaments.
Officer: Do you have any black powder muskets?
Me: Uh? What? Doing the double take and shaking my head. What?
Officer: Do you have any black powder muskets?
Me: Uh. No... (Still with a look of confusion on my face)
Officer: And you? (motioning to my buddy)
Him: Uh... No.
Officer: Ok, welcome to Canada..

WTF?

 

[mancat]

I. Used to go a cross the Dutch/German border often. Border guard. All over the world are all a pin in the butt. At least you Don"have CAnadian border guards pointing a machine com at you while they ask you questions.

I have lived in Europe and traveled extensively through the EU twice. Only place I ever got questioned was in the UK, and it was pretty much just "where are you staying, and how long?" Never really was stopped or asked anything in any other country.

 

[Cuthbert Allgood]

if/when you're asked a question concerning whether or not you own any firearms, tell them "no." don't give them any information like that.

 

[jimwsea]

I once went across at Sumas an almost had to tap my horn to wake the guy up.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

In this day and age I have no desire to travel out of the US. With the video conferencing capabilities we have nowadays there is no earthly reason 95% of the time why a business person should have to travel unless he wants a vacation away from his wife. As far as travel, the US has more varied options than almost any place on the planet. Why would you want to spend your money in places where the people hate, insult and disrespect you? Family is about the only reason that halfway makes sense to me. Everything I want to see and do is basically in the Pacific Northwest section of the US. The older I get the more I realize the rest of the world is not our friend and not worth helping or spending our resources on.

 

[Mattofsmatt]

In this day and age I have no desire to travel out of the US. With the video conferencing capabilities we have nowadays there is no earthly reason 95% of the time why a business person should have to travel unless he wants a vacation away from his wife. As far as travel, the US has more varied options than almost any place on the planet. Why would you want to spend your money in places where the people hate, insult and disrespect you? Family is about the only reason that halfway makes sense to me. Everything I want to see and do is basically in the Pacific Northwest section of the US. The older I get the more I realize the rest of the world is not our friend and not worth helping or spending our resources on.

It is......

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Your reply about skiing left me amused since a lot of Canadians come to the US to ski. In fact my sister met her husband of over 30 years while skiing in Montana. They reside on his almost 100 year old family wheat ranch in Saskatchewan.

 

[Ralgha]

In this day and age I have no desire to travel out of the US. With the video conferencing capabilities we have nowadays there is no earthly reason 95% of the time why a business person should have to travel unless he wants a vacation away from his wife. As far as travel, the US has more varied options than almost any place on the planet. Why would you want to spend your money in places where the people hate, insult and disrespect you? Family is about the only reason that halfway makes sense to me. Everything I want to see and do is basically in the Pacific Northwest section of the US. The older I get the more I realize the rest of the world is not our friend and not worth helping or spending our resources on.

You're missing out. Most of the people in the world have nothing against Americans individually. You'll always have a few jerks, but honestly I come across more bigots and a-holes in the states then I do abroad.

Go somewhere like Easter Island, you'll never find anything like that in the states. Be polite and respectful and most people in other countries will treat you well.

Sent from LV-426.

 

[Jammer Six]

It's their country. They can run it however they see fit.

 

[Hook686]

The fact that she asked if there ever been firearms in the car might indicate that there been some traces picked up by monitoring systems.
Sounds unlikely?
A friend of mine got prostate cancer a fee years back and got a tiny, tinny, radioactive 'seed' put on to kill the tumor. So little that a normal geiger meter barely could tell. The border personnel was at full alert when he pulled up and had picked it up from a loooong ways away..!
Some gun powder residue would probably be a easy to pick up.

No way this is possible.

 

[Hook686]

Me either - anyone know what would happen?

My BIL was a game warden in Massachusetts and carried his 'Dirty Harry' revolver under the seat of his truck when he crossed into Canada. When asked if he had a gun he would say, 'No'. Once the border guard picked his truck for a search and the gun was found. He and my sister were then detained. He was grilled for several hours. Finally a higher ranking officer arrived and ask, 'Where's the fisher cop' ? My BIL got a good lecture, lost his S&W 629 and has not been back to Canada since. I think he was real lucky that he was with Massachusetts Fish & Game.

 

[revjen45]

I pretty much avoid going where my non-resident Utah carry permit is not valid.

 

[hermannr]

I went across Blaine on Tuesday, and the only things he asked me were "what's the nature of your visit today" and "how long do you plan on being in Canada?".

For over 65 years of crossing that border, that has been my experience too. Occasionally I have received the 99 questions, but very occasionally. The worst time I ever had was coming this way back when they first started the stupid "proof of citizenship" crap. I presented a voters registration card that stated on it "carry this with you, it is PROOF you are a US citizen" (ya, it was from before the motor voter act). The border guard threw it back in my face and stated "anyone can get one of these, where is your birth certificate?" I calmly told him that would not help, as I was not born in the US. Then he wanted my naturalization papers, and I told him, that was not possible as they were not supposed to be carried on your person...then he want a copy of my naturalization papers...and I told him it was not legal to copy or reproduce my naturalization papers in any fashion.

What a jughead, he didn't even know US law, and he is supposed to be protecting the US border? The thing that pissed me the most was his rejection of my valid voter's registration...I wrote our "wonderful" senators about it, but they didn't do squat. So, now I carry my passport when I go to Canada..sick...that border crossing should be nothing more then what we have going from WA to OR.

 

[Jammer Six]

It amuses me that the same fools who whine about "illegal" immigrants are the ones who complain when they are questioned.

 

[hermannr]

I. Used to go a cross the Dutch/German border often. Border guard. All over the world are all a pin in the butt. At least you Don"have CAnadian border guards pointing a machine com at you while they ask you questions.

There is no border guard on any German border now. You can drive right through...no checkpoint.

 

[hermannr]

My BIL was a game warden in Massachusetts and carried his 'Dirty Harry' revolver under the seat of his truck when he crossed into Canada. When asked if he had a gun he would say, 'No'. Once the border guard picked his truck for a search and the gun was found. He and my sister were then detained. He was grilled for several hours. Finally a higher ranking officer arrived and ask, 'Where's the fisher cop' ? My BIL got a good lecture, lost his S&W 629 and has not been back to Canada since. I think he was real lucky that he was with Massachusetts Fish & Game.

For average Joe that is a potential 5 years and $50k

 

[8ball]

We travel to Canada regularly. We ALWAYS get asked if we have any guns with us.

This is because Americans are STUPID, and think INTERNATIONAL BORDER is meant for someone else.

According to the Canadian Customs people I've dealt with, ALL of who have been unfailingly polite and helpful (Unlike the US Customs Service) Americans are notorious for "forgetting" that they have a gun in the glove box.

After 30 years of international travel, I'm not surprised. Americans seem to not grasp the whole part of "You're not in America anymore" in a way that no one else seems to.

+1

In my experience, they tend to ask more closely if you are older or driving an RV. The Canadians confiscate more than a dozen guns a week from Americans at the border because people are ignorant of the law.

 

[hermannr]

if/when you're asked a question concerning whether or not you own any firearms, tell them "no." don't give them any information like that.

Don't do that if you are going into Canada... no, no. The risk is too high.

 

[hermannr]

+1

In my experience, they tend to ask more closely if you are older or driving an RV. The Canadians confiscate more than a dozen guns a week from Americans at the border because people are ignorant of the law.

They won't confiscate any that are declared. They will just turn you around with of list of FFL's that will store your weapon for you (for a price) and tell you to come back when you do not have it with you.